A divergent way of Celebrating Republic Day

After seeing the military might, valor and the exhibition of scientific and technological developments, diverse cultural ethos etc., of our great Nation on the long stretch of Rajpath for more than two hours, the immediate mood was to enjoy the holiday on Republic Day by a long slumber. But as Territorial Army soldier can never sit idle when the war is broken, the Palliative Care volunteer can hardly stop thinking about his family members, the great Palliative family especially when they are ailing and feeling emotional isolation. Few telephone calls here and there and Samaritans including our ever young at heart Mr. O D Sharma Sir, the most committed veteran for social causes and ailing patients, reached well on time in Sir Soba Singh Dharamshala attached with Delhi State Cancer Institute to celebrate Indian Republic Day with the ailing cancer patients.
Mr. Nahid at the counter informed that few patients have already left for their homes due to holiday and the remaining were around 30 only. Few new patients, whom we have not met last time, were taken aback on seeing the DNipCare volunteers heading towards their beds with passion in hearts and broad smile on faces. “Amma, we are working in Delhi and came just to see you on our holiday. As you belong to far away Nainital your relatives may not be able to visit you frequently and so we are here as your relatives and friends”, the brief introduction by any one of us was enough to melt the ice. The stories of their physical and emotional pains started flowing along with the droplets of tears. A sigh of relief, a moment of contentment at being with, interacting with and holding the hand of us, that is DNipCare, as depicted on our emblem.

Small juice packets distributed by us might or might not have given the feeling of sweetness to the tongues of patients being fed through Rhyles tubes. But we surely felt sweetness in our heart, when the blind cancer patient recollected DNipCare volunteers and asked for Madhu, who interacted with him last time also; when the liver cancer patient who evaded us and asked to talk to his brother instead at the beginning melt down, copied ghazals of Pankaj Udhas to his mobile from us and was requesting us to continue coming and interacting with him; when we saw the relief felt by a patient on getting tender care from Ansil and Ajith when he was lying unattended alone in his room after a fall from bed. These were the very little things we could attempt in the name of celebrating Republic Day for these ailing cancer patients. Can it all be called care or Palliative Care? We do not know, but we try and hope to continue striving as far as we are able to stand on our two legs.

Our Samaritans for this mission were Narayanan Kutty, Raghavan, O.D. Sharma, Som Nathan, Ansil, Atul Pandey, Ajith Kumar, Antony Cyriac, Madhu, Shaikh Moideen and a lot many volunteers who truly wished us from the core of their hearts but could not be present there due to unavoidable circumstances.
k.v. hamza,
Gen. Secretary, DNipCare
9891008356

Sad demise of two member of our Palliative Family

The first month of 2011 took away two of our Palliative family members. Mr. Animon of Kayamkulam, Kerala died on 6th January 2011. Mrs. Bharati of Dilshad Garden, Delhi died on 22nd January 2011. We the volunteers of DNipCare, condole the untimely and sad demise of these two members of our Palliative family and pray for the departed souls.

Cancer Awareness & Palliative Care Campaign in Mar Thoma Church, NOIDA

Dear friends,
DNipCare is conducting a ‘Cancer Awareness and Palliative Care Campaign’ at 10.30 AM on Sunday, 16th January 2011 in Mar Thoma Church, E-97, Opposite ATS Green 1, Sector 50, NOIDA.
Dr. K.S. Manoj Anesthesiologist, St. Stephens Hospital, New Delhi and former Member of Parliament has kindly consented to attend the campaign and talk on Cancer awareness and Prevention.
Let us all attend the program and learn more on Cancer awareness and Palliative Care.
With warm regards,
k.v. hamza,
General Secretary, DNipCare
9891008356

A Poem on Palliative Care by Dr. Cheriyan Koshi

Palliative Care
CHERIAN KOSHY, M.S., M.Ch.

A Care so whole for body and soul,
When pain and suffering, take their toll,
Can we underestimate the team’s role?
Making the patient’s comfort their sole goal

With limits for cure, but nil for care,
We are called to love and share,
We give and take, bless and bear,
‘We have limits’ Can we speak and dare?

Pain and suffering misery and sorrow,
The lot of those who live in time they borrow
With a life limiting illness this their plight
It behooves us to help them with all our might

Morphine and syringe drivers are they all?
To those for whom pain may befall
Shouldn’t we understand ‘Total Pain’?
To uplift many as they go on memory’s lane.

‘To live with hope and in dignity to die’
Is what we give before the patient’s last sigh
Giving all a ‘good death’ they deserve
Is our calling to those whom we serve.

‘When pain is inevitable but suffering optional’
Shouldn’t we give our best before the knell.
Yes; these are humankind’s cardinal events
‘Yells, Bells and Knells’!

To ease pain with the ethos of care
Is our vocation with our time to share
With us, better do the suffering fare
Topping our efforts with a silent prayer.

Help to the dying, to the bereaved the strength
To the larger community, through breadth and length
The message of ‘healing and hope’ we proclaim
Through ‘passions of touch’ aflame

Yes ‘Its low tech but high touch’ so we say
When distress is common during any day
We say ‘We are with you any time as before’
‘And will help you reach Mercy’s Shore!

Death a leveller from the young to the old
Our message to all is to be bold
‘Cause as in a war we loudly can sing
Where is grave’s victory and death its sting?

Cherian Koshy, M.S, M.Ch (Plastic Surgery)
Additional Professor and Chief
Division of Palliative Medicine
Regional Cancer Centre,
Trivandrum
http://www.rcctvm.org

Cancer Awareness & Palliative Care Campaign on Saturday 8th January in Delhi

Dear friends,

DNipCare is conducting a ‘Cancer Awareness and Palliative Care Campaign’ at 4.00 PM on Saturday, 8th January 2011 in Kerala Club, M-67, Connaught Place, New Delhi.
Dr. Nagesh S, Director Professor and Head of Department, Community Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi and Dr. Ishwar Singh, Professor (ENT), Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi have kindly consented to attend the meeting and talk on Cancer awareness and Prevention.
Let us learn from their expertise and try to utilize the knowledge for the benefit of everybody including our ailing Palliative family members. Let us also remember the old saying with little modification "Prevention is better than Cure and also Palliative Care later on".

With warm regards,

k.v. hamza,
General Secretary, DNipCare
9891008356